SRINAGAR, November 5, 2026 – Escalating his verbal offensive against his former party, newly resigned Srinagar Member of Parliament Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi accused the National Conference (NC) of politically “surrendering” to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and vowed to vehemently oppose the normalization of the post-2019 status quo in Jammu and Kashmir.
Ruhullah’s sharp remarks came in response to a controversial claim made by BJP National Vice President Ram Madhav. During his visit to Jammu earlier this week, Madhav had suggested that Ruhullah’s massive resignation rally in Budgam was held with the “blessings” of BJP supporters, while describing the NC as a visibly divided house.
Strongly dismissing the BJP leader’s assertions, Ruhullah clarified that he had absolutely no association with him. “I don’t know Ram Madhav. May Allah protect me from dealing with such people,” the Srinagar MP told reporters on Thursday. Turning the tables back on the NC leadership, Ruhullah added, “Ask them. Maybe they have called Ram Madhav themselves. They will know more because they must have spoken to him.”
Reiterating his core ideological stance, Ruhullah made it clear that his primary confrontation with the Omar Abdullah-led government was rooted in the party’s failure to challenge New Delhi on Article 370 and constitutional guarantees. “My confrontation with the National Conference was because the National Conference surrendered before the BJP, and I will not let this surrender be normalised,” he asserted, adding that the BJP’s aggressive policies and handling of Jammu and Kashmir “will not go unchallenged.”
In the wake of his high-profile exit, the National Conference has launched a counter-attack against the influential Shia leader. The ruling party officially criticized Ruhullah’s resignation, accusing him of turning his back on the organization only after fully benefiting from its political platform and securing a Lok Sabha seat on its ticket.
Undeterred by the party’s criticism, Ruhullah has indicated that his future political roadmap will focus on building an independent, broader movement dedicated to fighting for the restoration of constitutional rights and the dignity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir without compromising on core principles.
Published by True Roots Media Network